The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-08-31
REF0RM-WHATi

the Nichols government proposed to
the people in 1878. Then, to lay bare
the entire subject we will compare the
cost of the Nichols government with
that of Gov. McEnery. Upon this we
will ask our Reform contemporaries to
point out. what reforms the Nichols
government wanted that have not
been made.
The Nichols Legislature Of 1878
submitted the following reforms to the
people, in the shape of amendments to
the bayonet constitution of 1868, viz :
The first amendment provided for
biennial sessions of the Legislature.
That is now the law. That reform
has been made.
The second amendment limited the
rate of State taxation to ten mills.
The limit now is six mills. That
reform has been made and exceeded
For New Orleans, the rate of mu.
nicipal taxation was to be fifteen mills
1t is now ten mills. That reform
has been made and exceeded.
For the country, the limit of paro
chial and municipal taxation was to
be ten mills.
It is ten mills now. That rerorn
has been made.
The third amendment allowed leg
islators salary of $500 for the regu.
lar session and $3.50 for each extra
session occurring on the year of the
regular session, and not more than
$50 for travelling expenses.
Legislators now get 81 per day,
making for session of $50 days Il
total of S24O, and for an extra session
of thirty days $3.50, also actual ex.
penses in travelling.
That reform has been made and
exceeded.
The fourth amendment provided
that no special law should be passed
when the subject could be covered by
a general law.
That reform has been made.
The fifth amendment reduced the
Governors salary from $4,000 to
$1,000. The salary is now $4,000.
That reform has been made and OK.
ceeded.
The sixth amendment gave the
Lieutenant Governor double the salary
of legislator. That is, $1,000 fol
the regular session, and $500 for extra
sessions.
He now gets SO per day, or $4s(
for session of sixty days, or $24(
for an extra session of thirty days
That reform has been made and ex
ceeded.
The seventh amendment related
to the veto power of the Governor
That reform has been made.
Eighth amendment No Office
whose salary was fixed by the Con
stitution was to receive any fees O
perquisites.
That reform has been made.
Ninth Observation-Disclosures to tn,
judicial branch of the government
Tenth amendment-That gave tn
Chief Justice a salary of $1,000 an
his associates $1,000. They now &c
$4,000, and that reform has been mad
and exceeded.
Eleventh Observation-Disclosures t
the jurisdictions of the courts, and pro
vided for not less than thirty jadicia
districts nor more than sixty. Tn
General Assembly was empowered t
establish circuit courts.
That reform has been made.
Twelfth amendment-That fixe,
the salaries of district judges in tn
parishes at from one to three thousan,
dollars, and in New Orleans at no
more than FIVE thousand.
That reform has been made.
Thirteenth amendment - Provide,
for States attorney in each parish, a
a salary of between $500 and $40,
from the State, upon the basis of re
presentation in the Legislature, AM
the same salary from the parish. H
was to get fees besides. The distric
attorneys now get $1,000 and fees
That reform has been made and ex
ceeded.
Fourteenth amendment Had re
ference to the recusation of Judges
Fifteenth amendment-Related t
the manner Of putting the amendment
in operation.
Sivtaonth omo,J,no,& Al.o